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St. Charles County, Missouri
St. Charles County is a county located in east-central Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 360,485, making it the third most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is St. Charles. The county was organized October 1, 1812 and named for Saint Charles Borromeo, an Italian cardinal. St. Charles County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area and contains many of the northern suburbs of St. Louis as well as the more exurban areas. The wealthiest county in Missouri, St. Charles County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. The county is also recognized as very conservative, ranking in the top 100 nationally, and many residents support a gun culture. The county is expected to surpass Johnson County, Kansas by 2014 in total wealth. St. Charles County includes an important area of vineyards and wineries whose distinction has been nationally recognized. On its rural outer edge along the south-facing bluffs above the Missouri River is an area of numerous wineries, so that SH 94 is sometimes called the [[Missouri_Weinstrasse#The_Weinstrasse|Missouri Weinstrasse]]. The area includes the Augusta AVA, designated in 1980 as the first American Viticultural Area by the federal government. History The County of St. Charles was originally called the District of St. Charles and had no definite limits until 1816 to 1818 when neighboring counties were formed. The borders of St. Charles are the same today as they were in 1818. Geography The county has a total area of 592 square miles (1,534 km²), of which, 560 square miles (1,451 km²) of it is land and 32 square miles (83 km²) of it (5.39%) is water. Adjacent counties *Lincoln County (northwest) *Calhoun County, Illinois (north) *Jersey County, Illinois (northeast) *Madison County, Illinois (east) *St. Louis County (southeast) *Franklin County (south) *Warren County (west) Major highways * I-64 – Major freeway in the western portion of the county. Originally U.S. Route 40, the highway was upgraded to Interstate standards in the late 2000s. The highway was resigned as Interstate 64 from the Daniel Boone Bridge to Interstate 70 in Wentzville in 2009. * I-70 – The major east-west thoroughfare in the county. It is mostly a six-lane freeway throughout most of the county but there are sections in St. Charles and St. Peters where the Interstate widens to 11 lanes of traffic. * US-40 * US-61 * US-67 * Rte-79 * Rte-94 * Rte-364 – An eight-lane freeway currently under construction in the southern and central portions of the county. The freeway begins at Interstate 270 in western St. Louis County and currently ends at Missouri Route 94 just to the west of Mid Rivers Mall Drive. The freeway will eventually be extended westward to Interstate 64 in Lake St. Louis; the final phase of it will be complete in November 2014. * Rte-370 – A six-lane freeway that connects Interstate 70 in St. Charles County and Interstate 270 in St. Louis County. Major municipalities *O'Fallon – 79,329 *St. Charles – 65,794 *St. Peters – 52,575 *Wentzville – 29,070 *Lake St. Louis – 14,545 National protected area *Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge (part) Demographics 2012 Estimate }} As of 2010, there were 360,485 people, 132,906 households, and 77,060 families residing in the county. The population density was 643 people per square mile (1665/km²). There were 142,766 housing units at an average density of 73 persons/km² (188 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 91.3% White, 4.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population. There were 101,663 households out of which 40.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 24.20% were non-families. 19.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.18. In the county the population was spread out with 29.00% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $71,458, and the median income for a family was $64,415. Males had a median income of $44,528 versus $29,405 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,592. 4.00% of the population and 2.80% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.90% are under the age of 18 and 5.10% are 65 or older. St. Charles County, with a population of 365,151, has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the country for decades, with 55 percent growth in the 1980s, 33 percent in the 1990s, and another 27 percent in the 2000s. The county features a cross-section of industry, as well as extensive retail and some agriculture. With the Missouri River on the south and the Mississippi River on the north and east, the county is bisected east to west by Interstate 70. St. Charles County has two small airports, St. Charles County Smartt Airport and St. Charles Airport, and two ferries that cross the Mississippi River. Education Public schools *Fort Zumwalt R-II School District – O'Fallon **Joseph L. Mudd Elementary School – (K-02) – O'Fallon ** St. Peters Elementary School – (K-02) – St. Peters ** Dardenne Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon **Emge Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Hawthorn Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters **Mid Rivers Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Mount Hope Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon **Ostmann Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Pheasant Point Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Progress South Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Rock Creek Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Twin Chimneys Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Westhoff Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Forest Park Elementary School – (03-05) – O'Fallon ** Lewis & Clark Elementary School – (03-05) – St. Peters **Dr. Bernard J. DuBray Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters **Ft. Zumwalt North Middle School – (06-08) – O'Fallon **Ft. Zumwalt South Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters ** Ft. Zumwalt West Middle School – (06-08) – O'Fallon ** Ft. Zumwalt East High School – (09-12) – St. Peters ** Ft. Zumwalt North High School– (09-12)– O'Fallon ** Ft. Zumwalt South High School– (09-12)– St. Peters ** Ft. Zumwalt West High School – (09-12) – O'Fallon *Francis Howell R-III School District – St. Peters ** Early Childhood Family Education Center – (PK) – St. Peters **Early Childhood Family Education Center – (PK) – St. Peters **Early Childhood Family Education Center – (PK) – Weldon Spring ** Becky-David Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Castlio Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Central Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Daniel Boone Elementary School – (K-05) – New Melle ** Fairmount Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Harvest Ridge Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Charles ** Henderson Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Independence Elementary School – (K-05) – Weldon Spring **John Weldon Elementary School – (K-05) – Dardenne Prairie **Warren Elementary School – (K-05) – St. Peters ** Barnwell Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters ** Bryan Middle School – (06-08) – Weldon Spring **Francis Howell Middle School – (06-08) – Weldon Spring ** Hollenbeck Middle School – (06-08) – St. Peters **Saeger Middle School – (06-08) – Cottleville ** Francis Howell Central High School – (09-12) – Cottleville **Francis Howell North High School – (09-12) – St. Peters **Francis Howell High School – (09-12) – Weldon Spring Heights *Orchard Farm R-V School District– St. Charles ** Discovery Elementary School - (PK-02) - St. Charles ** Orchard Farm Elementary School– (K-05)– St. Charles ** Orchard Farm Middle School– (06-08)– St. Charles ** Orchard Farm High School– (09-12)– St. Charles * St. Charles R-VI School District – St. Charles ** Coverdell Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles ** George M. Null Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles ** Harris Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles ** Monroe Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles **Lincoln Elementary School – (K-04) – St. Charles **Jefferson Intermediate School – (05-06) – St. Charles **Hardin Middle School – (07-08) – St. Charles **St. Charles High School– (09-12)– St. Charles ** St. Charles West High School – (09-12) – St. Charles *Wentzville R-IV School District– Wentzville ** Heritage Primary School – (K-02) – Wentzville ** Early Childhood Center– (PK)– Wentzville ** Boone Trail Elementary School – (K-05) – Wentzville ** Crossroads Elementary School – (K-05) – O'Fallon ** Duello Elementary School – (K-05) – Lake St. Louis ** Green Tree Elementary School – (K-05) – Lake St. Louis ** Peine Ridge Elementary School– (K-05)– Wentzville ** Prairie View Elementary School– (K-05)– O'Fallon ** Heritage Intermediate School – (03-05) – Wentzville ** Frontier Middle School– (06-08)– O'Fallon ** Wentzville Middle School – (06-08) – Wentzville ** Wentzville South Middle School– (06-08)– Wentzville ** Emil E. Holt High School– (09-12)– Wentzville ** Timberland High School– (09-12)– Wentzville Private schools *Academy of the Sacred Heart – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic * All Saints School – St. Peters – (K-08) – Roman Catholic * Assumption Catholic Grade School – O'Fallon – (K-08) – Roman Catholic * Campbell Montessori School – St. Charles – (NS-06) - Nonsectarian * Church on the Rock Christian – St. Peters – (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian * First Baptist Christian Academy – O'Fallon – (PK-07) – Nondenominational Christian * Foristell Baptist Academy – Foristell – (K-09) – Baptist * Hope Montessori Academy – Lake St. Louis – (PK-K) – Nonsectarian * Immaculate Conception Catholic School – Dardenne Prairie – (K-08) – Roman Catholic * Immanuel Lutheran School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Lutheran *Immanuel Lutheran School – Wentzville – (PK-08) – Lutheran * Living Word Christian School District – O'Fallon and St. Peters– (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian * Messiah Lutheran School – Weldon Spring – (PK-08) – Lutheran * Mid Rivers Seventh-day Adventist School – St. Peters – (03-08) – Seventh-day Adventist * St. Charles Borromeo – St. Charles– (K-08)– Roman Catholic * St. Cletus School – St. Charles – (K-08) – Roman Catholic *St. Elizabeth St. Robert Regional School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic *St. Joseph School – Cottleville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic *St. Joseph School – Wentzville – (01-08) – Roman Catholic * St. Patrick Elementary School – Wentzville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic * St. Paul Elementary School – St. Paul – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic * St. Peter Catholic School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic *St. Theodore School – Wentzville – (K-08) – Roman Catholic * Sts. Joachim & Ann School – St. Charles – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic *Trinity Lutheran School – St. Charles – (01-08) – Lutheran *Watergate Christian Academy – St. Peters – (PK-08) – Nondenominational Christian *Willott Road Christian Academy – St. Peters – (NS-09) – Baptist * Zion Lutheran School– St. Charles– (PK-08)– Lutheran * Living Word Christian School – O'Fallon– (06-08) – Nondenominational Christian *Liberty Classical School – O'Fallon – (07-12) – Nondenominational Christian * Christian High School – O'Fallon– (09-12) – Nondenominational Christian * Duchesne High School– St. Charles– (09-12)– Roman Catholic *Lutheran High School of St. Charles County – St. Peters – (09-12) – Lutheran * St. Dominic High School – O'Fallon – (09-12) – Roman Catholic Alternative schools *Boonslick State School – St. Peters – Special Education * Fort Zumwalt Hope High School – O'Fallon – Other/Alternative School– (09-12) *Francis Howell Union High School – St. Charles – Other/Alternative School – (09-12) *Heritage Landing – St. Peters – Other/Alternative School – (06-12) *Lewis & Clark Career Center – St. Charles – Vocational/Technical School – (09-12) *Quest Day Treatment Center – St. Charles – Other/Alternative School – (06-12) Higher education *Lindenwood University – St. Charles *St. Charles Community College – Cottleville Law and government St. Charles County is governed by a county executive and a county council. The county council consists of seven members, each elected from various districts in the county. The county executive is elected by the entire county. The current executive is Steve Ehlmann. He was preceded by Joe Oertwerth, who was preceded by Gene Schwendemann, the first county executive of St. Charles County under the new form of government. The executive under the old form of county government was termed a "judge." The county produced 243,382 registered voters as of 2010. Cities and towns St. Charles County has 21 municipalities: Politics Local The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in St. Charles County. Republicans hold all but two of the elected positions in the county. State St. Charles County is divided into nine legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans. *District 12 – Douglas A. Funderburk (R-St. Peters). Consists of some of St. Peters, O’Fallon, and Dardenne Prairie, and the community of Cottleville. *District 13 – Chuck Gatschenberger (R-Lake St. Louis). Consists of some of Dardenne Prairie and the communities of Flint Hill, Foristell, Josephville, Lake St. Louis, O’Fallon, St. Paul, and Wentzville. *District 14 – Kathie Conway (R-St. Charles). Consists of some of St. Peters and Weldon Spring. *District 15 – Chrissy Sommer (R-St. Charles). Consists of one-third of St. Charles and some of St. Peters. *District 16 – Mark A. Parkinson (R-St. Charles). Consists of some of St. Charles and some of St. Peters. *District 17 – Vicki A. Schneider (R-St. Charles). Consists of some of O’Fallon, St. Charles and St. Peters, as well as the communities of Portage Des Sioux and West Alton. *District 18 – Anne Zerr (R-St. Charles). Consists of a little over half of the city of St. Charles. *District 19 – Kurt Bahr (R-O’Fallon). Consists of a little over half of the city of O’Fallon and two-thirds of Dardenne Prairie. *District 109 – Scott D. Dieckhaus (R-Washington). Consists of the communities of Augusta, New Melle, and Weldon Spring Heights. St. Charles County is divided into two districts in the Missouri Senate, both of which are held by Republicans. *District 2 – Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville). Consists of the communities of Augusta, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Flint Hill, Foley, Foristell, Josephville, Lake St. Louis, New Melle, O'Fallon, St. Paul, Weldon Spring, Weldon Spring Heights, and Wentzville. *District 23 – Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles). Consists of Portage Des Sioux, St. Charles, St. Peters, and West Alton. Federal Federal Most of St. Charlres County is included in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District and is currently represented by Todd Akin (R-Town & Country) in the U.S. House of Representatives. A small portion of St. Charles County is also included in Missouri’s 9th Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Political Culture Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008) *Former U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 23,611, than any candidate from either party in St. Charles County during the 2008 presidential primary. See also *List of counties in Missouri *Missouri census statistical areas *National Register of Historic Places in St. Charles County, Missouri References External links *St. Charles County Government Website *St. Charles City-County Library District *St. Charles County Ambulance District *Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce *St. Charles County Jail Information * Digitized 1930 Plat Book of St. Charles County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books Category:Counties of Missouri Category:St. Charles County, Missouri Category:Missouri Rhineland Category:Missouri counties on the Mississippi River Category:Regions of Greater St. Louis